402 : Aftershock
by me11
Summary: Episode two in my fictional season: Chloe is out of the hospital and dealing with the aftermath of Covenant and my 4.01.
1. Teaser

Episode 4.02 – Aftershock  
  
Chloe got dressed slowly into the clothes that Mrs. Kent had left for her. Her uncle had visited the night before, after Lex had left. They'd just made it to Metropolis from Florida and were surprised to find Chloe awake and healthy. Lawrence and Arlene Lane had immediately offered to let Chloe stay in Lois's old room, at their house in Edge City, now that their daughter had moved to Metropolis for school.  
  
Chloe had requested some time to think it over, telling them that she wasn't sure if she wanted to leave Smallville. In reality, she was mostly just cautious about living with relatives that she didn't really know. Chloe and Lois were fairly close, but she hadn't had much contact with her aunt and uncle; after Chloe's mother had left them, Gabe had stopped making the effort to stay in touch with his ex-wife's sister. Moving to Metropolis was one thing, Chloe was familiar with that city, but Edge City was farther away and Chloe didn't particularly like it there.  
  
She finished getting dressed: a sage green cashmere sweater and a pair of tailored black dress pants (judging by the labels in the clothes, Chloe was almost certain that Lex had paid for them). The conservative clothing looked better on than she would have expected, and though she usually opted for funkier styles, she kind of liked the outfit.  
  
'Maybe it's time to grow up,' she thought as she stared at her reflection in the mirror in her bathroom. Her watch (also new –a Swatch, courtesy of Lex) informed her that Lex would arrive momentarily to pick her up. She didn't ask him why he was doing all that he was; she didn't have to. The gifts, the visits, the rides, and the medical bills – he felt guilty.  
  
Chloe appreciated it, and she knew that she was lucky to have his help when so many others would be left do deal on their own. Everything and everyone around her was beginning to take its toll. She wished that the Kent's would stop looking at her as if she were damaged goods. She wanted Clark to come home, wished Pete still lived in Smallville, that Lana was around to help her... Mostly she wished her Dad was okay, or that she could at least see him once more to say good-bye.  
  
She wished that Lionel Luthor would hurry up and die already.  
  
Her body began to shake with repressed sobs. But Chloe didn't want to cry, she was tired of feeling helpless and wanted to remember the way she used to be. She wanted to feel strong again, to feel the same confidence that used to some so naturally but now felt worlds away. Her reflection stared back at her, mocking her, emphasizing how different she was now.  
  
Chloe looked desperately around the room, unsure of what she hoped to find – until her eyes landed on a fire extinguished in the far corner. She crossed the room in only a few quick steps and wrenched the extinguisher off of the wall. It was heavy, and crude, but felt oddly satisfying in her hands, and was exactly what she had been looking for.  
  
She marched back into the bathroom and held the end of the extinguished out in front of her. Chloe felt an immense sense of satisfaction when she sent the metal crashing into the mirror, shards of reflective glass falling to the floor as it shattered. For a split second she felt powerful again. And then the pain returned.  
  
Cue Theme Song...  
  
TBC... 


	2. One

**Chapter 1**

****

_A/N: Update time! I'd just like to point out that I don't know what is concidered legal age in Kansas, so I'm going with 18. If it's not actually 18, pretend it is, because I'm not going to change it in the story. Okay? Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing; you guys kick major ass. :0)_

* * *

> Lex arrived at eleven o'clock exactly to pick Chloe up. He went straight to the nurse's station to fill out any last minute forms. Luckily, Chloe knew Gabe's insurance information like the back of her hand, because as she'd pointed out, this was her fourth hospitalization in a period of thirty months.  
  
"Do you have release forms ready?" Lex asked the nurse.  
  
"Yes sir," she handed Lex a form to sign. He had been granted temporary custody for the time being, until she had a chance to sit down with her father's lawyer and see what her options were. Lex signed the papers and then handed the nurse a card.  
  
"This is my personal line," he explained. "I want any additional expenses billed to me; don't concern Chloe with it."  
  
"Of course," the nurse nodded and clipped the card to the billing information. "You can take her home whenever she's ready."  
  
"Thank-you," Lex nodded to her and then made his way to Chloe's room. He knocked and waited for her to answer the door. Chloe called for him to come in. He found her in the bathroom, staring fixedly at the shattered mirror. Lex looked quickly from the fire extinguisher in her arms to the glass on the floor...  
  
"Ready to go?" he asked her, ignoring the mess. Chloe looked at him, slightly surprised, but nodded anyways. He could understand having occasional rage attacks; he'd had them before.  
  
"Sure," she put the extinguished down in the corner and smoothed down her top. "Thanks for the clothes."  
  
"How do you know I bought –"  
  
"Only you would spend three hundred dollars on a sweater that you'd never wear," she half-smiled. Lex shrugged and led her out of the room. They passed the nurse's station on the way out and nodded politely to the nurse on duty. Lex placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the elevator.  
  
They came off in one of the parking garages and he led her to where he'd parked his car. Chloe mumbled a thank-you when he held the door for her. "I've never been in a Ferrari before," she told him quietly.  
  
"First time for everything," he smirked and then started the engine.  
  
"Where am I going?" Chloe looked at him blankly, tearing her eyes off of the passing buildings momentarily.  
  
"Where do you want to go?" Lex asked. "I'll bring you anywhere you want." She shrugged, looking very unsure.  
  
"I don't have any clothes to wear," she finally told him, turning back to glance out of the window. "Can we go to my house? I have some there."  
  
"Okay," Lex nodded. "Do you need anything? We can go shopping."  
  
"I don't need anything," she shook her head, still not looking at him.  
  
"Do you _want_ anything?" he asked her eagerly, hoping to be able to do something she'd enjoy. "I could take you anyways. There's a really great boutique on 49th Street that has the Dolce and Gabbana fall line in, or Lillix on Main has Vera Wang –"  
  
"Lex," she cut him off, traces of a smile on her face. "You don't have to buy me any clothes, I have plenty of stuff at home."  
  
He frowned. "Are you sure you don't want anything?" he asked her again. When she shook her head at him again the smile on her face slid into a weak grin. Not her usual mega-watt, but it was a start.

* * *

The ride to Smallville passed quietly for the most part. Lex drove fast and Chloe didn't feel like talking. She occupied herself by looking out the window at the passing fields. It started to rain just before they reached Grandville, and Chloe found herself wishing that she were outside. It was still raining when they got to Smallville, and by the time Lex pulled the car into the Sullivan's driveway, it was pouring.  
  
"Better run for it," Lex told her. Chloe nodded, realizing that she didn't have a coat with her. They climbed quickly out of the Ferrari and started up the driveway. Lex hurried up the steps and under the overhang of the roof, safe from the water. Chloe supposed that rain must be really cold on his head.  
  
She followed him, not running like he did, allowing the cool rain to soak her. She looked up at the house in front of her – and froze. The cold rain soaked through her hair, causing the sweater to cling to her body, the pants to become heavy, and still she didn't move. The house that had once been a safe haven, her home, now looked threatening and unfamiliar.  
  
"Chloe?" Lex's voice echoed through her ears. She didn't notice him come back down the stairs until the feeling of his hands on her shoulders woke her from the trance she'd been in. "Chloe!"  
  
"Huh? Lex?" Chloe caught his eyes with hers, not wanting to express her fears. He seemed to be able to read her mind.  
  
"It's fine Chloe," he cried to make himself heard over the falling rain. "I had it checked out yesterday. My security team made sure it was safe to go inside. Okay?"  
  
She nodded slowly and allowed him to lead her up the steps. "I don't have a key," she realized, pushing a chunk of sopping wet hair out of her face.  
  
"I do," he pulled a silver key out of his pocket and gave it to her. She didn't ask why he had a key to her house. While he shivered beside her, she took a deep breath and unlocked first the deadbolt, and then the handle. Cautiously, she opened the door and let it swing open. When nothing happened she let out the breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding.  
  
Feeling like an idiot now, Chloe hurried inside and Lex let the door slam behind him; she willed herself not to jump in shock. She looked around the house, the reality setting in; her father wouldn't come home at five thirty, dinner wouldn't be made for her when she came home from the Torch office, and there would be no coffee brewing when she came downstairs in the morning.  
  
"My room's upstairs," she told him, watching him take off his wet coat.  
  
"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked her. She shook her head.  
  
"No, make yourself comfortable," Chloe pointed the way to the living room and then left him. She climbed the stairs quickly and averted her eyes when she walked past her father's room. Chloe pulled a duffle bag out from underneath her bed and opened it up. She opened the closet doors wide and saw that half of her clothes were gone; they'd been in the luggage she'd brought to the safe house. They were gone now.  
  
Grabbing the last of her clothes from the closet, the last of the underwear from her dresser, a couple of pairs of pajamas, and a few pairs of shoes, she piled them all in the bag. It wasn't full. Thinking that maybe Lana had left some clothes behind, she hurried across the hall to check her closet for something to borrow. She found only heavyweight sweaters and some winter clothes; things Lana didn't need in Paris in the summertime.  
  
Chloe removed a blue cardigan, the lightest weight sweater in there, and a conservative black skirt from the closet. She'd need something to wear on Friday...  
  
Walking back to her room quickly, she stuffed the skirt into her bag and changed mechanically out of the wet clothes she was wearing, and into the blue sweater and a pair of jeans. Suddenly, she paused and stared at the bag unblinkingly. She'd packed it automatically, without thinking, but now she was realizing that she didn't know where she was going. Was she staying in the house, or going with Lex? Going to the Kent's?  
  
Abandoning the bag, Chloe sat down on the edge of her bed and looked around blankly. Her computer was gone, destroyed in the explosion. So was her digital camera, all of her favorite CD's, her wallet, her father...  
  
When Lex came upstairs twenty minutes later he found her sitting in the same spot, staring blankly at the wall.

* * *

TBC... 


	3. Two

**Chapter 2**

_A/N: Sorry for the short chapters! Like I said in 4.01 though, episodes 2 and 3 will be shorter, but 4 is looking to be long...in fact I'm pretty sure that I'm going to make 4 into two parts (call it 4 and 5) because there's so much that I want to happen in it. Thanks for all of the nice comments, and the constructive criticisms... :0)_

* * *

The first thing that Lex noted: her room was nicely decorated, not too girly. A soft purple paint coloured the walls, nothing too pink or floral in sight. She'd changed her clothes, a light blue sweater (that screamed Lana Lang) now replacing the green one he'd bought her. Lex frowned at the blank expression on her face.  
  
"Chloe?" he asked from his spot at her doorway. She jumped slightly and turned to him in surprise, just noticing him.  
  
"What?" she breathed, and realizing that she was just sitting there, jumped to her feet. She zipped the duffle bag closed.  
  
"Do you need any help?" he tried to catch her eyes but she looked away.  
  
"It's done," she stepped back from the bag and picked up the wet sweater and pants. "I hope the sweater isn't ruined."  
  
"Water won't hurt it," Lex pointed out.  
  
"But is should be laid flat to dry," she checked the label. "What if it's all stretched out of shape?" She began to unfold it frantically, trying to check the shape. "I'm sorry!"  
  
"Chloe," Lex reached out and stilled her hands. "It's fine, it can survive a little rain."  
  
"Okay," she nodded and ran a hand through her hair, which was tangled from the rain. "I was wrong, I do need... my hairbrush was in my old backpack... and my hairdryer. I don't have any shampoo or a toothbrush..."  
  
"We can buy all of that," Lex assured her.  
  
"And half of my clothes are missing," Chloe continued, not really speaking to him anymore. "After I made that big deal about not needing to go shopping... once I get my wallet replaced I'll have to go shopping..."  
  
Lex let her ramble for a few minutes, knowing that she needed to vent somehow. When she finally seemed to run out of things to add to her shopping list, Lex picked up her duffle bag and the clothes she'd neatly folded. "Chloe," he said slowly, and made sure that she was paying attention now. "Martha Kent called my cell phone while you were packing. She wants me to bring you over there to spend the night. Tomorrow we can talk with Gabe's lawyer about where you want to stay after that. Okay?"  
  
She nodded and followed him back downstairs. Lex slipped his coat back on and bade sure that she remembered to bring one of her own. Chloe took one last longing look around the house, before they made their way out to the car, as quickly as possible.  
  
Lex drove at his usual breakneck speed to the Kent farm but she didn't seem to notice. Jonathan ran out to greet them, taking her bag inside the house as quickly as he could, and leaving them alone in the car to say goodbye.  
  
"All right Chloe, I'm going to go now," Lex told her. Chloe's mouth opened wide, her eyebrows shooting up.  
  
"Oh right, of course... I'm so stupid," she began to ramble again. "You've probably got things to do and here I am dragging this out. I'm really sorry—"  
  
"That's crazy," Lex cut her off and smiled kindly, not really used to this insecure version of Chloe Sullivan. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. Now, I'm going to come back tomorrow okay? I'll bring you to meet with the lawyer; I'll pick you up at nine thirty. Sound good?"  
  
"Yes, that's good," she nodded.  
  
"See you tomorrow," he smiled again, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder slightly.  
  
"See you tomorrow," she repeated and climbed out of the car. Once the house door had shut behind her, Lex drove off.

* * *

> TBC...


	4. Three

**Chapter 3**

_A/N: Another short chapter. Sorry._

__   
  
When Chloe went into the farmhouse she was pleased to find Pete inside, waiting with Jonathan and Martha. "Chloe," Martha rushed over and put an arm around her shoulder, leading her over to the sofa. "I'm so glad you decided to come. How was your day?"  
  
"It was okay," she sunk back into the sofa, letting the overstuffed cushions hug her body. "Lex kept trying to buy me things ... now that I think about it, I probably should have let him." She grinned weakly to let them know she was joking, but Jonathan and Pete seemed to find it funny anyways. "How long are you here?" she asked Pete.  
  
"As long as you want me," Pete assured her. Chloe nodded.  
  
"Are you hungry?" Martha asked her eagerly. "Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours. But I can make you a snack if you'd like something now."  
  
Chloe shook her head. "No thanks," she said. "I can wait."  
  
"I'll just take your things upstairs than," Jonathan hoisted the duffle bag over his shoulder. "You'll be staying in Clark's room. Hope that's okay."  
  
"That's fine," she nodded and jumped to her feet. "Can I help?"  
  
"No, I've got it," Jonathan smiled, aiming for placating, but succeeding in annoying her. They were acting like she'd break down at any moment.  
  
"Do you need help with dinner?" she asked Martha.  
  
"No that's all right Chloe," Martha's smile almost blinded the rest of them. "Do you want a drink? I could make some coffee...or if you just want to talk we could do that." Chloe struggled not to smile at the overly kind smiles on the Kent's faces.  
  
Pete seemed to sense her discomfort and walked quickly over to the window. "Stopped raining," he remarked. "Chloe let's go for a walk."  
  
"Okay," she nodded at him, and then turned to Martha. "Is that okay?"  
  
"Yes that's fine," Martha nodded enthusiastically. "You've been inside for so long lately, some fresh air would probably do you good." Chloe and Pete left quickly.

* * *

"Thanks Pete," Chloe said once they'd made their way out to the barn. "I really love Clark's parents, but it was beginning to feel like the Walton's got sick in there."  
  
"No problem," Pete grinned, and for some reason when he did it, it didn't irritate her. They climbed the stairs into Clark's loft and sat on the couch. "So are you going to tell me now?"  
  
"Tell you what?" she asked him, her nails pulling at a button on the upholstery.  
  
"How you're really doing," Pete nudged her.  
  
"I'm okay," Chloe repeated her earlier responses.  
  
"And I'm Pete," he grabbed her fidgeting hand. "So...how are you really doing?"  
  
Chloe turned to him, eyes welling up. "How do you think?" she sighed. "I'm mad, and I'm sad, and I'm really, really scared." She sniffled and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't know what to do about anything, and I don't know where I'm going to go...  
Everyone wants me to open up, but no one really understands what I'm feeling – except maybe Lex. But he's Lex Luthor, you know; so you can't really talk to him. All I want is to see Dad again – and I keep wishing that Clark will come back, and that Lana was here, and that you didn't move away!" she took a shaky breath, needing air.  
"And all I can think about is how stupid I was to try and take on Lionel Luthor! Even though everyone says it isn't, I can't help feeling that this is my fault. If I hadn't been so dumb, if I'd never made that deal with him... none of this would be happening."  
  
"Chloe that's not why this happened," Pete grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. "This isn't your fault! What happened to your father was Lionel Luthor's fault – and only his."  
  
"Because I tried to beat him," she shrugged his hands away and jumped off of the couch. "My father is dead because I couldn't... blame Lionel all you want but it doesn't change the fact that my Dad would still be here if I had just learned to mind my own business!" Pete scrambled to his feet and stood in front of her.  
  
"Chloe..." he muttered shakily, his eyes welled up as well. She caught his gaze quickly and then burst into tears. Pete reached out and hugged her tightly. Chloe buried her face in his shoulder, breathing in the scent of his cologne, and sobs overtook her body.

* * *

TBC... 


	5. Four

**Chapter Four  
**  
Lex watched the fields fly by, a myriad of yellows and greens, with the occasional cow thrown in. Beside him Chloe sat clutching a folder in her hands; a copy of her father's will. She was supposed to look it over and meet with the lawyer again next week.  
  
He watched her out of the corner of his eye, remembering her frustration at the meeting. For a girl who'd never had to worry about paying bills, or legal matters, this came as quite a shock. He'd always seen her quick wit and remarkable intelligence, but hadn't realized just how young she still was. Until now.  
  
The most pressing matter, what she was undoubtedly worrying about, was the issue of to whom guardianship would be granted, and where she was going to live. The Kent's had offered to have her stay with them, and take over custody, but Lex had a feeling that she didn't want that.  
  
They'd discussed emancipation with Gabe's lawyer, and found out how long the process could take. Still, it looked like she was leaning in that direction. He knew she was worried about where she would live for the time being. With Clark gone, the Kent's had a spare room for her, but both Pete and Lex had some worries about what would happen if Clark came back. Where would she go?  
  
They passed the Smallville sign and Lex's eyes fell on the picture of the meteors, as they did every single time he drove by it. Chloe looked up at the sign too, surprised, as if suddenly realizing how long they'd been driving. Instead of turning left, on the road that would bring them to the Kent farm, Lex turned right, towards the mansion.  
  
"Where are we going?" she asked him, turning in his direction.  
  
"I have something to show you," Lex told her. Chloe just nodded, not questioning him further. He couldn't help but wish she'd revert back to her intrepid reporter ways and try to pry more information out of him, but she didn't and they drove the rest of the way in silence.  
  
Parking the car in the circular driveway, Lex led her in through the foyer. His new butler met them in the hall. "Good afternoon Mr. Luthor," he nodded to them. "Miss."  
  
"Hi," Chloe replied blandly.  
  
"Walden, is it ready?" Lex asked ignoring the confused look Chloe gave him.  
  
"Yes sir, they finished about an hour ago," Walden nodded.  
  
"Good, come on Chloe," Lex put his hand on her back and led her down a hallway into the left wing of the mansion. They passed the large set of double doors, leading to his room, and continued on past a few more until they were almost at the end of the hall. "Here," Lex reached into his pocket and withdrew a polished key, holding it out to her. Chloe took the key from him and raised her eyebrows in question. "Just open it."

* * *

Chloe unlocked the door and pushed it open slowly. Inside was a large bedroom. From the look, and the smell, of the pale purple paint on the walls, it was newly decorated. There was a four-poster queen-sized bed, made of a light oak. The fluffy duvet had a colourful silk cover and about six matching pillows.  
  
A matching dresser and night stand stood near the bed, and a desk was pushed against the west wall, right between two large windows. A bookcase and several empty shelves adorned the wall and a new laptop sat on the desk. There two doors on the east wall, a three way mirror situated between them.  
  
"Pretty," Chloe remarked, running her had over the wooden dresser. "A bit more feminine than I pictured you in but..." Lex rolled his eyes at her.  
  
He walked over and opened the first door, revealing a decent sized bathroom with a claw-footed tub. "My room's down the hall," he told her and opened the second door. He gestured for her to look inside. "This room is yours."  
  
Chloe raised her eyebrows again but followed him into the walk-in closet, where it was already half full of very expensive looking clothes. Lex watched her as she took in the room.  
  
"You're giving me a room?" she finally asked him. He nodded.  
  
"Chloe," Lex led her out of the closet and gestured for her to sit down on the Queen Anne bench at the foot of her bed. "I know you've been wondering where you're going to be staying, now that Gabe is..."  
  
"Dead?" she finished bitterly.  
  
"No longer with us," he corrected. "I just want you to have the option, in case you decide not to stay with the Kent's."  
  
"I knew you felt guilty Lex, but I didn't realize it was this bad," she got up and came to stand in front of him. "You know that you don't have to but me things, don't you? I don't want you to pity me either."  
  
"This isn't about pity Chloe," he put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"So it's just about guilt then?" she asked. When he didn't reply she shrugged his hand away.  
  
"Okay, okay," he conceded. "I do feel guilty. I promised to protect you and failed."  
  
"I won't live with you because you feel guilty Lex," she said slowly, hoping to make him understand. "How long would it be before you started worrying about what I'm looking at, what I've found out? It's the same with you as it is with the Kent's; none of you trust me. I can't stay somewhere where everyone sleeps with one eye open because they're terrified that I'll expose all of their secrets."  
  
"To be fair, I don't really trust anyone," he muttered. "It's nothing personal –"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Okay listen," Lex put both hands on her shoulders now. "You don't have to stay here, but I want you to know that this room will always be here for you. Okay? Even if you move to Edge City, there will always be a place for you in Smallville."  
  
Chloe blinked a couple of times, her eyes becoming a bit more watery then she would have liked. "Lex? Why are you doing this?" she asked him, hoping he'd tell her honestly. "You've told me the truth before...please tell me now."  
  
Lex held her gaze, trying to stare her down. Finally, she noticed his eyes soften, the usual lines of his face seemed to smooth out. "Because you need someone to take care of you right now," he told her quietly. "And I need someone to take care of."

* * *

TBC...


	6. Closer

**Closer**

_A/N: Final one for this episode. Just so I know, could you guys tell me if Pete moved to Topeka or Witchita? I've been hearing both. Enjoy!_

Gabe Sullivan's funeral was on Friday morning. Chloe was touched to see that half of the LuthorCorp Plant employees had shown up to pay their respects to their former manager. They all packed into the old church, behind the distant relatives that had managed to make it. Chloe sat in the front row between Lois and Pete, Lex, Martha Jonathan beside them.  
  
Amidst the sea of black clothing Chloe watched quietly as various people spoke about Gabe, about the great man that he was. She didn't go up, but Lex did, and so did Martha Kent. While Mrs. Kent sobbed openly into the microphone, and Pete tried desperately to hold back his tears, Chloe didn't cry.  
  
When her father's ashes were lowered into the ground she didn't cry. When her cousin hugged her goodbye and wiped away her own tears, Chloe still didn't cry. She felt an immense sense of guilt over it, because she'd shown no more emotion than Lex had. But she really did miss her father.

* * *

Martha Kent was in the kitchen, fixing herself a cup of tea, when Chloe came down the stairs. They were still both dressed in the black clothes they'd worn to the funeral, but Chloe now held a duffle bag over her shoulder.  
  
"Mrs. Kent?" Chloe called from the doorway, causing the older woman to jump in surprise.  
  
"Oh Chloe!" she laughed nervously, putting a hand over her heart.  
  
"I didn't mean to frighten you," Chloe apologized.  
  
"That's okay," Martha got out a second mug... and spotted the duffle bag. "What's going on?" Chloe took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm moving into the mansion," she told Martha.  
  
"You are?" Martha was surprised. "I didn't know you were even considering it."  
  
"I mentioned it to Mr. Kent," Chloe joined her at the counter and set the bag on the floor. "But I didn't want to tell you until I knew for sure."  
  
"Oh, well why not?" Martha handed her a cup of tea.  
  
"I didn't want to hurt your feelings," Chloe admitted. "Please know that me leaving isn't about not wanting to stay here. It's just..."  
  
"Chloe, it's okay," Martha smiled warmly. "I understand. We're not really your family, as much as I would love to be."  
  
"Lex isn't family either," Chloe pointed out. "That's not really the issue though. For one thing, Clark could come back, he always does, and then there'd be a problem."  
  
"You'll always be welcome to stay here Chloe," Martha patted her hand. "With or without Clark."  
  
"I just wanted to thank-you," Chloe toyed with her teabag. "For letting me stay and making me feel so welcome. I know it must be hard for you guys to let me stay here, after what I did to Clark."  
  
"Chloe that's all in the past," Martha told her gently. Chloe shook her head and sniffled, trying not to cry.  
  
"No, n-not really," she swiped away a stray tear. "Because none of my friends really trust me, and I ruined my father's life. I cost him his job and made him a target...he must have been so disappointed in me." She began to cry now, the idea of her father thinking ill of her made her ache inside.  
  
Martha reached out and hugged her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. "Chloe that's not true," she whispered brokenly, tears of her own beginning to stream down her cheeks. "Your father loved you very much. All he ever talked about was how proud he was of you. You were his whole world." Chloe didn't say anything. "Chloe I mean it. I want you to always remember that. Okay?"  
  
"Okay," Chloe pulled away and wiped her tears dry.  
  
"Good," Martha handed her a napkin from the holder beside the sink. Chloe began to dry her eyes, hoping that her makeup wasn't smudged.  
  
A car horn outside announced that her ride was here; Lex had sent the limo for her while he took care of the last minute funeral details. "Are you sure you want to go?" Martha asked her as Chloe hoisted the duffle bag over her shoulder again. "I'm a little worried about a girl your age living with Lex."  
  
Chloe smiled. "I don't think I'm his type," she pointed out. "Besides, I think that he understands me right now. I need someone right now, and Lex has been looking for someone to let him help. This just feels like it's what I should do."  
  
"You come back here whenever you want," Martha jugged her again. "Promise me you'll let me know if things don't work out."  
  
"I promise," Chloe told her. They walked outside and over to the limo where the driver took her bag and put it in the trunk. "Goodbye Mrs. Kent," Chloe slid into the car. Martha watched the limo drive away, and a strange sense of foreboding overcame her.  
  
"Goodbye Chloe," she whispered. End.

* * *

_Next time, on Smallville:  
__   
  
Martha nods towards the man seated beside them in the Talon. "I didn't even notice him following us." ..."Trust Lex to know the best professional stalkers in Metropolis," Pete says...Chloe looks up at Lex: "What was your mother like?"... "She was unhappy"..."Don't," Chloe pulls her arm out of the grip Lex has on it, eyes red rimmed. "Don't look at me like that"..."He's done some pretty bad stuff Chloe," Pete bites his lip. "If it gets bad there, promise me you'll let me or the Kent's know. You don't have to stay there"..."Have a good flight," Lex shakes Pete's hand..."I'll miss you Pete," Chloe tells him..."Miss you too," Pete kisses her forehead...Chloe stands in Metropolis International Airport, staring quietly at the departures gate..._


End file.
